ELLEN DeGeneres, who made TV history when she came out as the first openly gay main character on a network, is returning to TV.

But it is a far different primetime landscape for gay and lesbian characters than the one she left four, short years ago.

DeGeneres will star in a new series, “Ellen Again,” for CBS where she moves back to her hometown after her dotcom company goes belly-up.

On the show, DeGeneres’ character is openly gay, according to early reports.

“But her lesbianism is matter-of-fact,” said Scott Seomin, a spokesman for Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “She’s there to make people laugh not to make a point.”

DeGeneres’ first TV comedy, ABC’s “Ellen,” broke a major taboo when she came out as gay – and began dating other women.

Today, gay characters – and their intimate relationships – are scattered all over primetime on shows such as “Dark Angel,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Will & Grace.”

The girl-girl kiss – which made headlines when it happened on “Ellen” – is now practically as common on nighttime TV as the kooky sidekick and the wise-cracking eight-year-old.

In no small way, it is DeGeneres who is responsible for the changes. The question now is: can she succeed in the new atmosphere of tolerance that she helped foster.

“The success of ‘Will & Grace’ tells us there is nothing about showcasing that type of lifestyle that could preclude a show from being a success,” says TV industry analyst, Stacey Lynn Koerner of TN Media.

“I don’t think it’s an issue anymore. We’re beyond that.”

CBS officials declined to talk about the new Ellen show until it announcing its new fall lineup later today.

DeGeneres very publicly came out of the closet in 1997 during a week-long media blitz that included a “20/20” interview with Diane Sawyer and appearances at politically-correct functions in Washington D.C. with her then-girlfriend, actress Anne Heche.

When the show was canceled a year later, the actress claimed it was because she was gay. ABC officials said it was due to poor ratings.